5 Ingredients to Avoid in Your Skincare
From weather conditions and air pollution to our clothes and makeup, our skin is constantly being bombarded as it works to do its job to protect all the other organs inside us. That is why what you are putting on your skin is of such great importance. Can you get skincare without harmful chemicals? What about scents? There's a lot to avoid in your skincare if you want to protect your body's largest organ.
Five Ingredients to Avoid in Your Skincare
1. Parabens
Parabens are basically added to skincare products to make them last longer, and none of them are non toxic. This is a key ingredient to avoid! You can think of them as akin to the pesticides they put on food to prolong expiration dates, and parabens are just as damaging. They are a host of chemicals like methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben, and they are found in everything from face washes and makeup products to shampoos and night creams.
Check the labels on all of your beauty products, lotions, and body cleansers because parabens have been shown to be cancer-causing. They also trick your body into thinking it is getting more estrogen, which can do severe damage to your natural hormone balances and can negatively impact fertility and reproductive health.
2. Phthalates
Phthalates are another breed of chemicals, and their purpose is to make cosmetic plastics more supple and flexible. Their main purpose is to make these products affix to our skin and stay put throughout the day. While we all want our make up to stay put, we do NOT want it at the expense of our health.
Phthalates’ effects on humans have not been studied extensively, but they are believed to be an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) that can alter hormonal balance and potentially cause reproductive, developmental and other health issues. Phthalates have been shown to cause birth defects. These chemicals disrupt the hormone and endocrine systems to such a degree that many of these chemicals have been banned from use in products made for children by Congress. You don't want them on your skin.
3. Artificial Fragrances
Because of the way cosmetic companies are required to report their ingredients on their products, the term 'fragrance' has been turned into a loophole. These companies don't need to label or tell you what is actually going into a fragrance. That means many harmful, and potentially cancer-causing chemicals could be lurking inside the sweet-smelling spray bottle.
Did you know that 3,163 ingredients hide behind the word “fragrance”.
4. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and/or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and/or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are two irritants that are found in many shampoos, bubble baths, and body washes. They have been shown to cause various allergies, allergic reactions, and skin irritations, yet they are continued to be put into use.
5. BHT
BHTs are another laboratory designed chemical with the purpose of prolonging the shelf life of the products they're added to. They are fake antioxidants and nothing more than cancer-causing agents. The main focus of our body's liver is to siphon out toxins, and when BHTs are applied, the liver must work to cleanse the body of these chemicals.
It is not worth the risk to have any of these things in or around your body. Stay safe, read ingredient labels, and only select skincare products that are certified with CertClean or EWG, like PUUR Ingrid.
